Effect of Sand Erosion on Turbine Components: A Case Study of Kali Gandaki “A” Hydroelectric Project (144 MW), Nepal

Abstract

In high sediment laden river projects or silt affected power stations, the frequency of repair and maintenance of underwater parts is comparatively higher which leads to increase the overall forced outages per year for repair The extent of the major maintenance will depend on the operating condition such as suspended sediment load passing through the turbine and how the machine was loaded during the operation. This paper illustrates the analysis of sediments, effect of sand erosion and maintenance of turbine of Kali Gandaki “A” Hydroelectric Plant (144 MW). The paper also describes the repair methods used for different turbine components to minimize the effects induced by sediment erosion. HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water, Energy and EnvironmentIssue: 17, July 2015